A microscope device is widely used in industrial fields, and various studies, inspections, etc. in a biological field. When the microscope device is used in performing an inspection, an electric stage capable of moving an observation sample on a plane orthogonal to an observation path from an objective is operated in the microscope device having a plurality of objectives of different scale-up magnifications, thereby performing observations and inspections. When samples are observed using the microscopes, it is necessary to operate various component units (for example, various types of illumination, aperture stops, field stops, revolvers, automatic focusing mechanisms, switching mechanisms of optical devices such as lenses, filters, etc.) configuring the microscopes depending on the respective observation conditions.
There are, for example, the following methods as methods for operating these component units. Commonly known is a method of connecting an operation device to a microscope body, driving each component unit depending on the drive of the operation device, and grasping the driving state of each component unit by displaying the drive on the operation device. That is, a controller dedicated for a microscope and a microscope controller such as a PC (personal computer) etc. are connected to a microscope body through a communication cable. Then, a command is communicated with the microscope body depending on the operation of the microscope controller, and various settings are made by the drive control of each component unit.
In the operation of an electric revolver, some controllers or touch panels have buttons corresponding to the objectives attached to the revolver. Any objective can be inserted directly into an optical path of the microscope by the operation of the button.
Examples of the documents of prior art technology are Japanese Patent No. 3396070, Japanese Patent 3823471, and Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2003-307684.